Can Coconut Oil Really Help Me Heal My Gut?

Last week, I added coconut oil into my bag of tricks. I am extremely excited to be able to start using the oil throughout all my cooking experiments, not only for the flavor, but for the incredible healing properties it provides. I bought Organic Virgin Coconut Oil because it is the most pure and effective at doing what it does best.

The oil also withstands heat very well and doesn’t become rancid like olive oil does when it gets overheated. I picked up The Real Foods Trading Company FunFresh brand Organic Virgin Coconut Oil for around $14. They state that their oil is unrefined, unbleached, un-deodorized, un-hydrogenated, and processed without solvents (all very good things). The most exciting thing about introducing coconut oil is the lauric acid that it contains, which is only found more concentrated elsewhere in breast milk!

The medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil are easy to absorb, digest, and move through the blood and into the liver to be quickly converted right into energy. The oil also inactivates the bad guys, like H. pylori, Candida albicans, and Giardia, all while suppressing inflammation and repairing tissue to help heal the gut (we will have a longer article on this later). The oil turns into monolaurin once it reaches your gut, which is a very powerful antimicrobial agent. All in all, the introduction of coconut oil into the SCD diet is almost as important as starting the yogurt. It helps regulate the bad bacteria and support the good bacteria, all while helping to reduce inflammation and leaky gut. Elaine did caution against using Coconut milk until about six months into the diet, but not against the oil itself. Just introduce it slowly like any other food.

Here is a quick and dirty SCD legal chile I spiced up with Coconut Oil:

1st: I browned 2 lbs of ground beef in a skillet

2nd: Then, I added a pinch of thyme, paprika, sage, black pepper, and salt

3rd: I stirred in 1 cup of tomato juice

4th: Then, I added the special ingredient… 1/2 cup of coconut oil

5th: Then I mixed in some cooked veggies (green beans, cauliflower, and cucumber)

6th: I let it simmer for about 15 minutes for an incredible chile that is slightly sweet from the coconut oil

Random Thoughts:

It’s interesting how the more and more I get my diet handled, the more and more pieces of my health puzzle are fitting into place. When I first started the diet, I figured all my problems were from gluten (very naive). But after the SCD diet started to take away that reality and I started feeling better, I began to see all the other areas of my health that were also suffering. I believe that many of the issues are related, but I wasn’t even able to see them until the diet allowed me to start feeling better and gain some perspective.

Since I have been on the diet, I have been able to address my low stomach acid, my thyroid problems (iodine deficiency), inflammation, poor digestive enzyme production, and a magnesium deficiency. Now, that’s not to say that this stuff is going to be the same for everyone… but with each new issue I tackle with my doctor, I reach a whole new level of health I never realized was possible. It’s been an incredible journey, and it all started with the SCD Lifestyle and building my foundation. Once I stopped spending 4 hours a day on the toilet, I was finally able to figure out what else is going on with me. It’s almost like having a lens that’s really blurry, but as I continue to heal I can focus it more and more clearly. I can’t wait to see what the next level will be like… and I strongly believe that coconut oil is going to help me get that much closer!

Got any good ideas for using coconut oil? Post them below, and also, take a moment to comment on what the SCD Lifestyle has helped you realize about your body.

-Jordan